Pirate's Vengeance (The Djinn Kingdom Series Book 1)

by LJ Andrews

  “Would ye both hush up,” Taylor said over his shoulder, “boats are ready. Now get in—it’s time.”

  Taylor patted her hand and gave her a reassuring smile. The old man treated her not like a burdensome student, but more like a granddaughter he never had after their months of study. “Ye take care, girl. Can’t say I would be unhappy if I didn’t have to teach ye no more if ye got killed, though,” he said smiling.

  “There’s the Taylor I love,” she said sarcastically, stepping into the skiff ready to float to the post.

  Nova smiled watching Atlas step into the boat next to her. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she admired his skill with the rigging, but also his muscles flex beneath his billowing shirt. Catching her eye, he winked and gave her a small half smile.

  “Well, we’re ready,” he said. after he untied one last knot.

  Chipper held tight to a rope before launching into the dark sky, awaiting final orders.

  Captain Smythe stepped behind Taylor and glared from underneath his large hat. “Take all the supplies ye can carry, gents.” Looking at Nova, he smiled coyly. “And lady. We be short on crew since we sent the mutinous rats to the Below. Any man who’d make a good sailor take ‘im kicking and screaming.”

  Smythe turned away, stroking the raven’s beak and laughing wickedly. A fast drop sent Nova’s stomach to her throat as the skiff pulled away from the Vengeance. Others followed behind in their own boats, and the army of pirates sailed to the small island.

  Naval ports weren’t the most beautiful of islands. They were small and usually surrounded by tall fences or walls lined with soldiers and cannons. The small size of the islands served the navy well as stopping points for their ships to dock, reload, and quickly be on their way. But the lack of manpower on the ports also created opportunity for pirates to overtake them.

  Atlas held her free hand as if sensing her fear as they sailed silently through the dark sky.

  “You can do this,” he whispered. His eyes twinkled with a sense of excitement.

  “I should’ve brought the dagger,” she replied.

  “If you truly want to be made as a sky witch. Smythe is taken with you for stopping the mutiny, but you don’t want to lose his good graces by proving Harvey Jones right. He’d toss you over in a second.” Atlas spoke so low she could hardly hear him.

  Behind the slew of small boats, the crew remaining on the ship blasted rounds of cannons against the navy trying to break through the fence line. Nova watched as the port sprang to life under the brilliant moonlight. Officers along the beach saw the ghostly form of the Vengeance in the distance and sounded the warning bell.

  Fires blazed atop the lookout posts and shots were fired into the stars from soldiers ducking behind the barracks. Nova gripped her cutlass as muskets filled the gaps between the posts in the top of the fence.

  The night sounded with blasts from the Star’s Vengeance, followed by desperate musket shots. When her skiff docked on the edge of the floating port, the pirates disembarked quickly and furiously. Atlas lifted his pistol and fired a warning shot at a young naval officer rushing the beach.

  “Nova, go into the locker and get any gold you can find,” he commanded.

  She took a deep breath and nodded, though she cursed Smythe’s demand she be the one to raid the navy’s treasury. It would be the most dangerous and difficult to get to.

  Nova slipped through the chaotic gun fire as her crewmates overtook the first row of fence. The air was thick with gunpowder and the smell of blood. She stayed close to the edge of the fort, being sure to stay hidden behind anything she could find.

  A rumble of footsteps forced her to shrink behind a small barrel of extra powder as a new wave of naval officers rushed to help on the beach.

  Cannons blasted in the night air from the walkway on the top of the fence, but the Vengeance returned fire with fury and sadistic pleasure. Nova’s stomach clenched, imagining the crew laughing as they murdered and took what they wanted.

  There was an opening in the fortress with no one guarding it. Taking her opportunity, Nova ducked into the center of the fort. She cursed as her shadow, cast from numerous flickering lanterns along the fence posts, spread long and obvious over the patchy grass. Above her, soldiers ran and shouted commands at one another. In the center was a small stone building with a narrow wooden door on one side, but no windows.

  Just where Smythe said it would be, she thought.

  “Run, wench. What ye waitin’ for!” a pirate shouted from the long walkway circling the upper fort.

  Holding her breath, Nova darted into the open toward the treasury. She shrieked when a blue-coated soldier fell at her feet from the planks above, a fatal hole in the center of his chest. But when the shouting shifted inward as soldiers turned their attention to the center of the fort, she knew she’d been spotted.

  “Stop,” someone shouted. “Men, take aim!”

  Nova’s lungs screamed as she pushed her legs faster. The dirt at her feet exploded as a bullet hit the earth near her. Another whizzed past her ear, coming close but never hitting her.

  As the treasury came closer, her focus sharpened again, bringing every sensation clearer. The balls firing from the muskets flew past her face slowly, every imperfection in the metal visible. All the cries for her head muffled, and each attempt to take her life ignited an anger inside her.

  In another moment, she was inside the doorframe of the locked treasury door. The iron padlock on the door was simple and could easily be opened. In one swift hit with the hilt of her cutlass, the lock broke, crumbling in a pile of rusted iron at her feet. She glared at the firing soldiers, wishing their muskets would melt into nothing before stepping into the treasury. She closed the door behind her, never noticing the soldiers fidgeting with their muskets which suddenly wouldn’t fire as the pirates overtook them.

  Chapter 14

  A Familiar Prisoner

  Nova crept down the winding stone steps. The navy always hid their treasury beneath their forts in the event they were attacked. Anyone brave enough to enter the treasury would be in a stone trap underground. Nova’s focus was still crisp and clear as she held onto the annoyance of being shot at. The air was cold and filled with an earthy smell which was surprisingly refreshing.

  Light flickered up the steps and she heard shuffling boots and low whispers. She clasped her cutlass tightly, feeling a wave of fear break through her dark confidence. She was a lone invader and anyone could be waiting around the curved stairs.

  The fiery glow from the lanterns calmed her nerves slightly and she held her blade in front of her just as Taylor had taught her. Taking a deep breath, Nova jumped around the curve into the open treasury.

  “Hold it steady!” a man with a thick black mustache shouted at his fellow soldier, who was guarding the stacks of geld and paper geldings.

  The walls were filled with antique muskets and swords. Nova saw a stockpile of extra rounds and gunpowder; it would certainly come in handy on the ship.

  “Surrender, pirate, and we’ll give you a swift death,” the soldier shouted.

  Nova surprised herself with how quickly her attention had taken in the mountains of goods and money before recognizing the immediate danger she was in with the two guards.

  Almost like a…pirate, she said to herself. Her shoulders shook as if wiping the dirty thought from her mind.

  “I don’t want to hurt anyone,” she responded, keeping the cutlass pointed menacingly at the two men. “I’m just here for supplies. If you let me take what we need, I’ll see to it you’re kept out of harm’s way.”

  “A woman?” the second soldier said quietly.

  “Hold her in your sights, Skyman Tucker; I’ve met my fair share of deadly females,” said the man with the mustache.

  Something about the second’s voice drew Nova’s attention to his face. She held her breath as her diamond eyes took in his chiseled features, and his skin tanned from hours in the white sun. He had wavy brown hair tucked behi
nd his ears. She knew him, but from where?

  Skyman Tucker and his companion soldier cocked the hammers on their muskets and Nova’s face fell. They weren’t going to let her out of here without a fight.

  She took a deep breath and allowed the calm she was beginning to master overwhelm her. She looked upon the two men with contempt for entertaining the idea they could trap her. Raising her blade, she rushed toward them.

  Her ears were sensitive to sounds around her and the blasts of the muskets firing in the small room echoed loudly inside her head, but they only fueled her more. Nova bent backward as a bullet sailed over her face, narrowly missing her head. Time was slow yet instantaneous as she dodged the soldiers’ attack. Nova slid across the floor on her knees underneath the flying bullets and sliced her blade against the boot of the younger soldier.

  He fell to the ground, clutching his bleeding ankle; the steel had cut clean through the thick leather and opened a deep gash across his lower shin.

  “Kale!” the older soldier shouted and blasted another shot toward Nova.

  She glared in his direction, watching the bullet fly toward her chest. At the last moment, she stepped out of its trajectory and smiled as the soldier’s jaw dropped. Nova threw her cutlass, feeding on the dark, pretentious feeling surging through her body. Her focus demanded she best the soldiers. It was impossible to allow the fear and doubt banging against the arrogant power fuming within her take over. If she succumbed, the soldiers’ naval training would surely take her.

  The blade flew through the air until it sank deep into the upper shoulder of the soldier. He cried in furious pain and dropped to the floor near his injured mate.

  Nova gulped as the power surge faded against his cries. Panic and remorse fought their way into her chest, and she had to force herself to load the bills and gold into her knapsack instead of tending to the wounded men.

  “What are you?” the man clutching her cutlass cried.

  Nova eyed him curiously. His face was genuinely frightened as he locked eyes with her.

  Thumping steps sounded against the stone stairs, tearing Nova’s focus from her victim, yet freezing her in place.

  I can’t take on that many soldiers, she thought.

  Relief flooded her chest when Chipper and several other crewmen rushed into the room. Chipper beamed, seeing the stacks of money and the wounded soldiers.

  “Well done, wench. Ye caught us some treasure. But what about the men?” he said, kicking the older soldier. “Looks to me they be too torn up to be worth our while.”

  “They’re not too far gone to be useful,” Nova argued.

  Her heart raced thinking she could be the reason the two soldiers may soon lose their lives. Atlas entered the standoff and scanned the scene before meeting Nova’s frightened eyes.

  “Yer wench seems to think these men she disposed could still be of use,” Chipper said, his hard eyes narrowing as he spoke to Atlas. “But what say you?”

  Atlas looked at the men, gripping his pistol more tightly, then slowly glanced at Nova. She nodded her head, as if begging him to agree with her. She watched the inward battle behind his eyes, but couldn’t see yet which side he was going to choose.

  Atlas took a deep breath before speaking. “I think Smythe would flog us for bringing back such sorry potential crew.”

  Chipper laughed as Nova’s heart sunk to the pit of her stomach. Without a thought, Chipper raised his own pistol and blasted the older soldier away. Nova covered her mouth, begging the tears not to come in front of the jubilant pirates.

  Atlas was at her side, but she shrank away from his touch. Chipper moved in on the younger man and took aim. But the pirate’s cries made Nova whip around.

  “I’ll kill ye,” Chipper shouted.

  The soldier known as Kale stood despite his wounded foot and slashed a deep cut across Chipper’s wrist with the bayonet on his musket.

  “Not unless I kill you first,” he snarled.

  The brash pirate lowered his pistol and chuckled. “Ye wouldn’t make it past me crew. Why waste two lives? Ye seem to have some spirit. Maybe we can make use of you. Take him to the cap’n, men.”

  “I’d rather die,” Kale said, cocking the hammer.

  “I’m sure ye would,” Chipper said darkly.

  As he kept Kale’s attention, two crewmen came up behind him and kicked his knees out from under him. Kale fell to the floor and the two pirates wrenched his arms behind his back.

  Kale struggled, but the more he fought the more entertained the pirates seemed to be.

  “Like I said, he’s got some spirit,” Chipper laughed, stepping back up the treasury steps.

  “We should get going,” Atlas whispered gently, touching Nova’s elbow.

  She glared at him and turned to leave, but ran right into the imprisoned soldier.

  He stared at her before furrowing his brow. “I’ve seen you before,” he started. Suddenly, his eyes widened and his lips curled into an angry snarl. “The boy from the docks. You were a pirate all along. I can’t believe a female scallywag duped me. No doubt you’re part of the crew responsible for taking over the prison transport. A lot of good men died at your hands!” He spat angrily at her feet as the other pirates dragged him out.

  Nova felt as if a boulder sat on her chest, crushing all the air from her lungs. Her bitter tears stung as she allowed them to spill onto her cheeks, finally remembering where she recognized him. She cried silently, watching him be dragged away—her handsome soldier from Regen.

  Chapter 15

  A Dead Man

  The crew was rowdy as they sailed back toward the Vengeance. Every few moments someone would blast a pistol into the diamond sky. The moon was enormous and cast a greenish glow over the skies, lighting their path. Nova clasped her hands in her lap, avoiding the steely glare Kale was burning in her direction. He sat across from her in the small skiff, his wrists bound with thick ropes. Inside, her stomach churned in sick waves. She’d forced him to a fate of piracy. He’d said it with his own words; he would rather die than join with them.

  Atlas nudged her from behind as he rowed against the thick clouds. “Well done back there, Nova. You aren’t going to be upset all night are you? I was just tryin’ to keep us safe from Smythe.”

  “You just let them kill that soldier, Atlas,” she whispered angrily.

  He sighed in frustration. “Yeah, well, better that than have Smythe flog you. That’s what I was thinkin’ about.” He pulled harder against the paddle.

  “I doubt Smythe would’ve done anything. He needs me…according to him.”

  Atlas rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but you can’t seem to tell me why he needs you.”

  “I told you, not yet. He forced me into secrecy.”

  Atlas stayed quiet for a long moment before speaking more softly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want him to die, either, but I was just thinking of you. I can see how, perhaps, I did it the wrong way.”

  Nova’s heart softened at his awkward apology. Atlas was a sailor at heart, and gentleness wasn’t his first thought, but his attempts meant a great deal.

  “Thank you,” she finally replied as they floated alongside the hull of the ship, though the image of the soldier dying in front of her would be forever painted in her mind.

  “Load ‘em on, gents!” Chipper shouted to all the returning boats. The pirates cheered and clasped the prisoners by their shoulders, forcing them onto the deck.

  Kale’s jaw tightened as he shot Nova a final look of disdain before Chipper shoved him at Smythe’s feet on the main deck.

  “Well done, men.” He smiled at Nova when Chipper and Atlas threw one of the knapsacks filled with royal money on board. “And well done to our own pirate lass. Master Kane, which of these navy pigs needs be provin’ their loyalty to the crew?”

  Kane, with his broad shoulders and purple coat, sauntered cockily in front of the captured soldiers who trembled in a straight line, shoulder to shoulder.

  He raised his pistol at the fi
rst officer’s face and asked, “Will ye be loyal to yer crew and yer ship, come capture or death?”

  The soldier seemed on the verge of tears as he nodded his head slowly. The pirates cheered as Kane shoved him into the open, smelly arms of the ecstatic crew. The soldier was handed a bottle of cherry rum and forced to guzzle an enormous drink of the burning slop.

  Kane continued down the line, Nova watched as Kale held his head high and stared off at the glittering stars. Nova covered her mouth, and kept silent. Kale clenched his jaw, but he never lowered his gaze. It was his turn. Master Kane scanned him up and down.

  “Aye, Chipper, he is a stout one; if he agrees he’ll be a mighty addition.” Kane laughed. Chipper held up a green bottle in his hand in agreement, stumbling already as the heavy liquor flowed through his system.

  Kane glared at Kale, who never met his eye. “Will ye be loyal to yer crew and yer ship, come capture or death, boy?”

  Lowering his eyes, Kale’s perfect lips curled up into a snarl. “Never,” he said darkly, close to Kane’s face.

  “Pity,” Kane said lazily and raised his pistol.

  “Wait!” Nova cried out. The crew stopped their boisterous laughter and turned their eyes on her. For a moment, she wanted to leap off the side of the ship herself.

  “Shut it, wench,” Kane snarled and cocked the hammer.

  “Master Kane,” Smythe said. “Ye’ll not speak to yer crew mate in such a tone. Only the captain has the power to silence.”

  Kane glared and stayed his shot for a moment. “Aye, sir.”

  Smythe turned to face Nova; she shrank under his dark eyes. “And what be the meanin’ of ye interrupting a vetting, Miss Nova?”

  She held her breath and felt the burning angry eyes of the men on board. Atlas’s brow furrowed and he shook his head subtly, as if warning her to keep her mouth shut.

  “Sir, I saw this man’s strength first hand. It would be a waste to send him to the Below. He’ll be loyal in time, just as we all are.”

  “And what have ye to trade if I grant ye this request?” Smythe asked.